Having realized there is no escape from his past as an agent, Max has offered his services to MI5 on an as-needed basis. Now it's time for him to follow through. The body of glamorous film star Margot Browne has washed ashore from a luxury yacht and Max's former colleague wants his help to find the murderer.

It's a perfect "closed circle" murder since victim Margot must have been killed by one of the actors, stylists, screenwriters, or second-tier royalty aboard. The investigation into Margot's lurid past uncovers a host of motives--it seems she was not the only person on board with a secret they'd kill to keep.